Search Results (5)

Rapidly increasing political polarization threatens democracies around the world. Scholars from several disciplines are assessing and modeling polarization antecedents, processes, and consequences. Social systems are complex and networked. Their constant shifting hinders attempts to trace causes of observed trends, predict their consequences, or mitigate them. We propose an equivalent-neighbor model of polarization dynamics. Using statistical physics techniques, we generate anticipatory scenarios and examine whether leadership and/or external events alleviate or exacerbate polarization. We consider three highly polarized USA groups: Democrats, Republicans, and Independents. We assume that in each group, each individual has a political stance s ranging between left and right. We quantify the noise in this system as a “social temperature” T. Using energy E, we describe individuals’ interactions in time within their own group and with individuals of the other groups. It depends on the stance s as well as on three intra-group and six inter-group coupling parameters. We compute the probability distributions of stances at any time using the Boltzmann probability weight exp(−E/T). We generate average group-stance scenarios in time and explore whether concerted interventions or unexpected shocks can alter them. The results inform on the perils of continuing the current polarization trends, as well as on possibilities of changing course. Full article

Energy transition in islands constitutes a major challenge. Apart from a necessity, it can also be a great opportunity for sustainable social and economic development. Toward this direction, a new, promising movement has emerged recently in Greek islands. Straight from the roots of the insular population, development of energy communities comes as the result of increased awareness of local people, raised also by the legacy of lighthouse projects and initiatives. Kythnos, Ikaria, Sifnos, Tilos, Agios Efstratios, Crete, and Chalki, are all islands that have embraced the implementation of successful, local-scale innovation projects and/or initiatives, generating meaningful results across different energy aspects and contributing to positive social change. Our study provides an overview of the broader energy transition aspects in Greek islands, discusses the impact of the aforementioned exemplary cases, and further elaborates on the model of energy communities. According to our analysis, leveraging on the experience of lighthouse projects and initiatives, and on the dynamics of the emerging energy community movement, could lead to increased social and economic benefits for the insular populations, to broad public acceptance, and to minimum environmental impacts for the islands’ natural ecosystems. Full article

This article aims to present the potential of energy transition in insular systems for social and economic transition and development, when planned and implemented appropriately, with the active involvement of local communities. To this end, the example of Sifnos Energy Community is examined and presented as a pilot case. It proves that energy transition, apart from its obvious energy conservation and climate necessity, can provide a strong contribution to the development of remote areas and the remedying of crucial issues, especially in insular communities, such as unemployment, low standards of living, isolation and energy supply security. Energy transition on Sifnos has been undertaken by the Sifnos Energy Community (SEC), with the target to achieve 100% energy independency through effective and rational projects. The major project is a centralized hybrid power plant consisting of a wind park and a pumped hydro storage system. It was designed to fully cover the current electricity demand and the anticipated forthcoming load due to the overall transition to e-mobility for the transportation sector on the island. Through the exploitation of the excess electricity production with the production of potable water and hydrogen, energy transition can facilitate the development of new professional activities on the island and reduce the local economy’s dependence on tourism. Additionally, a daily link to the neighboring larger Cyclades islands can be established with a hydrogen powered-passenger vessel, ensuring the secure and cheap overseas transportation connection of Sifnos throughout the whole year. The overall energy transition process is executed with the active involvement of the Sifnos citizens, ensuring wide public acceptance and the minimization of the projects’ impacts on the natural and human environment. At the same time, the anticipated benefits for the insular communities are maximized, highlighting the energy transition process on Sifnos as a new sustainable development pattern. For all this effort and the already achieved results, Sifnos has been declared as one of the six pilot islands of the European Community’s initiative “Clean Energy for EU Islands”. Full article

Citizen-led local participation is considered the key to a successful energy transition, and citizens’ co-owned power plants are an alternative and representative form of local participation. The extent to which citizens’ co-owned power plants can embody “locality, democracy, participation, energy autonomy, poverty reduction, and energy justice” has led to many controversial discussions. In response to these meaningful questions, this study argues for the focus to return to the impetus and driving forces of local participation in energy. This study proposes six possibilities for the impetus of local energy participation and the types of participation they may create. In the case analysis of the Higashi-Ohmi Model, in addition to the compound disaster of the 11 March 2011 earthquake and the transformation of the Japanese power grid, the driving factors depend on the self-consciousness of local promoters who insist on independence from policy influence. By linking local networks to discuss “local needs,” the residents form an integrated plan of “agricultural self-sufficiency, care system, and energy autonomy.” They promote the overall economic cycle of the region with energy regional energy currency, which inspired other rural forms of citizen energy participation. In addition, the simultaneous development of small-scale local enterprises and the ability of the local government to adjust policies centered on the needs of residents are important conditions for implementing the Higashi-Ohmi model. Full article

This paper discusses whether the concepts of energy democracy, energy justice and the principles of good market regulation could play a role in developing a more consistent approach towards the regulation of the energy sector. It is concluded that the principles of good regulation can provide a useful framework within which advantages and disadvantages can be weighed of regulatory choices to be made when modernizing the regulation of the energy markets. A case study of the Dutch heat market is used as an example, showing that a lot remains to be gained in terms of flexible regulation and supervision and the facilitation of citizen participation. Both energy democracy and energy justice call for this. The lack of flexibility in the current regulatory framework could lead to ineffective and disproportionate regulation, hindering a sustainable, reliable and affordable development of the heat market. A larger need for flexibility is justified because of the differences between the types of heat networks. Customized solutions regarding unbundling and third-party access, including the modernization of the heat market, also require sufficient discretionary powers for the independent regulator that do not hinder but in fact stimulate the development of the heat market. Furthermore, increased citizen-participation is important in light of energy justice and energy democracy, which are energy specific concepts that overarch the principles of good regulation in the energy sector. Both concepts are based on the awareness that the energy transition is a matter for all citizens of the European Union and should not be ignored by policymakers and independent regulators. Since it is likely that most heat consumers will remain locked in for a relatively long time in natural monopolies facilitated by older generation heat networks and a lack of alternatives, substantive citizen-participation could yield positive results regarding community engagement in heat network management and heat supply. Full article